“LEGO Masters” isn’t easy on the fingernails.

That’s one thing Lexington’s Michelle Contreras has learned during her stint on the Fox competition show in which contestants faceoff in assembling constructions from the famous little blocks.

“There was one episode where I wrecked my nails because of the speed [we were building]. When you see that clock going, those seconds are real. When that countdown goes, it’s real and the pressure is real,” she told the Chronicle.

Contreras, who moved to Lexington last year, is competing on the current season of “LEGO Masters” with her teammate Christine “Tacos” Blandino. The show, hosted by Will Arnett, airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. As of the Chronicle’s Oct. 11 press deadline, Contreras’ team hadn’t been eliminated.

With more than 5 million LEGO pieces on set and more than 3,300 different elements available to each team, according to the show’s publicity team, Contreras and Blandino work hastily, as evidenced by the former’s battered nails.

Blandino jokingly called Contreras a “Mexican MacGyver” for her dramatic speed

Contreras is a Mexican native who moved to Lexington when her husband landed a job here. She said the people have been “warm and kind” and she loves how comfortable she feels here.

Contreras said she was a fan of the show, having watched the first couple of seasons with her family. The “LEGO Masters” team reached out to Contreras to see if she wanted to be in season three. She didn’t apply to be a contestant but was discovered through Instagram. but through Instagram she was discovered. At first, she was leery that it was a scam.

As for Blandino, she knew of contestants from the first, and she was almost on the second season. Contreras contacted Blandino, and the pairing was natural, they said.

They both understood Spanish, and they both admit they can be dramatic, which works well for TV. Blandino said that when Contreras asked her if she wanted to join, it only took two seconds to say yes.

They bring their Hispanic heritage to the show through the sets they build together. Both have a background in engineering and a love for all things LEGO, which is also evidenced on their social media.

For Contreras, LEGO has long been a hobby for her and her kids. Blandino actually teaches LEGO engineering for students in kindergarten through fifth grade; she brings in engineering kits, using the blocks to help with instruction.

“It’s such an amazing tool for teaching and playing,” Contreras said. 

While Contreras is originally from Mexico, Blandino is of Dominican heritage and resides in Rhode Island. Their love for LEGO and being able to represent the Hispanic heritage is a big win for them even if they don’t win the grand prize — 100,000, a trophy and the title of LEGO Master.

“When I saw the first episode it was like living a dream, playing with LEGO on TV,” Contreras said.